Prime Minister Suo bowed as he stepped down
The prince's expression was so good that Yaerjiang'a stuck out his tongue inwardly. After finishing his report, he cleared himself up again: "It's a good thing, but they made too much noise and gained a lot of enemies."
Yinreng was originally angry, but when he heard the word "enemy", he stopped and asked: "What do you mean by enemy?"
After all this time, you don't even know this? How do you use people? Yarjiang'a quickly replied, "Amida and others are colluding everywhere. If anyone hesitates, they will threaten them verbally...demanding lives or something like that. Aren't you afraid of death?" Yarjiang'a simply felt that your existence made people feel that they couldn't offend you. That was your own ability. Using verbal threats was inferior and too contemptible.
Yinreng was completely furious, his eyes red. Yarjiang'a hadn't expected the prince to be so furious over this matter, thinking, "They should be angry. A bunch of dogs are helping their master offend people outside." Seeing that Yinreng looked bad, he hurriedly tried to escape.
Yinreng grabbed him and asked, "Is the news accurate?" In other words, this would have offended Yarjiang'e. Now, Yarjiang'e simply said in a less than pleasant tone, "If it's not accurate, how could I say bad things about Suo Xiang in front of you?"
Yinreng sensed something wrong: "What are you talking about?" It seemed as if he was mocking that bad things about Soetu could not be said in front of the prince.
Yaerjiang Adao said, "That's what he said," and rolled his eyes in annoyance. "If the Crown Prince hadn't treated me like a brother recently, I wouldn't dare say this. Outside, tsk tsk," he shook his head, "they think the Crown Prince and Soetu are one and the same. When Soetu is jumping around outside, everyone thinks the Crown Prince can't wait to ask for the appointment of a grandson."
"Khan Amma wouldn't think so."
"I can't stand people whispering in Khan Ama's ear. Imagine if someone tells Khan Ama that the Crown Prince is instigating people to coerce the ministers—" Soetu and his gang gathered people to sign a petition, but they had already approached Prince Jian's palace, and even Yarjiang'a had been kindly warned. Yarjiang'a was a man who could even ignore the Crown Prince, so how could he be threatened by a group of servants? He couldn't swallow this anger, and if he didn't seek revenge, he wouldn't be Yarjiang'a.
The Crown Prince grew closer to him, and with his keen sense, Yarjiang'a had noticed that the Crown Prince and Soetu were no longer close. Soetu had taken ill, and the Crown Prince had been indifferent. This indicated a rift. If not now, when? Yarjiang'a decided to lower his stance a bit and persuade the Crown Prince of the stakes. Instead of arguing that a grandson shouldn't be appointed as Crown Prince, he focused on the issue of collusion and coercion, which suddenly went from adding fuel to the fire to adding fuel to the fire.
Yinreng had already figured it out long ago, so why did he need Yarjiang'a to remind him again? What Yarjiang'a said was exactly what he was thinking, and he already believed him 70%. He patted Yarjiang'a on the shoulder and said, "Good brother, thank you for reminding me. I will rely on you a lot in the future."
"I only ask the Crown Prince to be more careful. Kuixu is currently the record-keeper. That's all I have to say." Having successfully filed his complaint, Yarjiang'a felt calm, chuckled twice, and said his last respects to Yinreng with a serious face. Now that he had the Crown Prince's assurance and had already made an appointment with Kangxi—he had done a good job of coaxing Kangxi into submission this time—it was time to return and flatter his father and have the old man submit a petition.
Yinreng still had a caring heart for Soetu. No matter who he was, having spent over twenty years in your life, he wasn't someone you could easily ignore. Even though he realized that Soetu's efforts over the years weren't entirely for the Crown Prince, Yinreng still retained a great deal of goodwill towards him.
To protect Soetu, he hoped that he would offer to retire. That way, regardless of whose face it was, as long as Soetu stopped causing trouble, both Kangxi and Yinreng would ensure his family's safety and prosperity. Perhaps the past could be forgiven.
Strictly speaking, the Crown Prince had done his utmost. What else could he do? Otherwise, let Soetu decide for himself: what else did he want? Total power or a mere figurehead? Wasn't that just a dream?
Yinreng wasn't entirely convinced by Yarjiang'a's words. Over the past decade, he'd subconsciously been trying to protect Soetu. No, he needed to investigate. He couldn't just accept Yarjiang'a's words as the truth. In his mind, Soetu wasn't a particularly foolish man. Making such a big fuss like this wasn't something he'd do.
Then, the prince found out, and he was in big trouble.
Again, if the Crown Prince wanted to do something that could be done openly, that was perfectly fine, as he had almost all the resources in the country at his disposal. However, if he wanted to do something private and shady, he would have very few people to do it—especially if he didn't go through Soetu.
Sitting in his study, Yinreng had the air of an old monk in deep meditation. After a long struggle, he finally concluded that he needed to recruit a few useful individuals who were in the shadows. For example, in today's incident, Yarjiang'a had provided information. To verify it, he needed another source, and one who couldn't be too close to Yarjiang'a, to prevent collusion and influence his judgment.
Following his thick-skinned and cunning ways, the prince took the second step in his downward spiral: suspicion. Suspicion begets caution, and suspicion begets verification. Within the prince's once pure heart, a dark fog of conspiracy began to churn. From this, he began to contemplate how to verify and secure credible intelligence.
Training someone to eavesdrop was the most foolish approach, and it was also difficult to do given his current circumstances. Therefore, he needed informants, people willing to tell him. He needed several different sources, all feeding him information, so that he could analyze the truth of the incident from their diverse subjective perspectives.
He finally understood why his Khan Ama loved chatting with ministers so much. This was actually a process of collecting information, filtering it, and finally making a judgment.
How could I be so stupid?! I've been with Khan Amma for so many years, and Khan Amma has clearly shown me how to do it, but I didn't even realize it!
So, now the question arises: who should he turn to for confirmation of this news? If what Yarjiang'a said is true, he is about to face great disaster. Threatening court officials is, at best, a disregard for the law; at worst, it simply shows disregard for the emperor and a rebellious intent. Confirmation is imperative, and a decisive response is necessary.
Soetu was on sick leave, so even if Yinreng were willing to ask, he might not answer. The Crown Prince looked around in confusion, realizing he was becoming isolated and alone, with no one to turn to. Regardless of Kangxi's thoughts, Yinreng went ahead and met Dezhu first.
It was the end of the year, and Dezhu, who had been sent out on business, should be back to pay his respects. Dezhu was living a comfortable life, looking better and better, which made Yinreng feel jealous. The Crown Prince had been having a hard time lately, and the weight he had lost in the summer had just been regained.
Dezhu's eyes were filled with tears, and he was almost crying: "Prince, how did you lose so much weight?"
Yinreng said, "I feel relieved now. I have so much flesh on my body, it's really a burden."
Dezhu decisively burst into tears.
Yinreng waved his hand and said, "What do you look like?" He gave him a seat and offered him tea. He took a closer look and said, "I was thinking of your hard work outside. You don't look thinner."
Dezhu began to express his loyalty: "When I am away, I always think of the prince..."
Yinreng listened to him patiently and said, "You've worked hard."
"It's my duty," he thought, hoping to be closer to his superior. He took the initiative to bring up the matter that Yinreng was concerned about. "I bought some things for the young master today. I don't know if the young master would appreciate them. It's a pity that I'm not qualified to sign the petition now. Otherwise, if I wrote my name on the memorial, I would be taking advantage of the young master."
Yinreng lifted the lid of his tea bowl nonchalantly. "You know that too?" He sneered. "They just happened to get into trouble."
"It's too late for me to know about this. I'm useless. I have nothing to do with these matters. I just heard about it two days ago," he said with envy. "Prime Minister Suo is so generous. Half of the people in the capital know about it. Nian said he would visit Prime Minister Ming..."
The teacup lid scraped against the bowl with a creaking sound, sending goose bumps up my back. "Ah, that's not urgent. Just take the things to the back and show them to the Crown Princess."
Dezhu was a little disappointed and kowtowed politely before leaving.
When he got to the back, he kowtowed behind the curtain. The Crown Princess only said, "Thank you for your hard work." He didn't even see the little fat man.
It’s not that the Crown Princess deliberately ignored him. She had her own worries and it was great to see him.
——————————————————————————————————————————
The Crown Princess was arguably the most unique of the women in the palace, a fact evident in the very process of her wedding—no one else followed the same etiquette. Similarly, her treatment was exceptional in every way. She wasn't treated like a consort, nor like a sister-in-law.
Sisters-in-law can visit their parents' homes, but the Crown Princess can't. Concubines aren't usually allowed to see their families, but the Crown Princess can. Xiluo Te can see her daughter once a month.
This time, he brought back an explosive news: Soetu wanted to ask to be named the crown prince.
Shujia thought that this was not a bad thing. If it was accomplished, it would certainly be a good thing. Not only would Yinreng's position be consolidated, but the little fat man would also benefit from it.
What she never expected was that Xiluo Te had another piece of news. To achieve his goal, Soetu was using every possible means, including bribery, promises, and even threats. The Shi family said, "The Crown Princess, please try to persuade the Crown Prince not to be so impatient. If this continues, we'll have to worry about him spreading rumors with the Emperor. Making such a big fuss and claiming to be able to kill people is simply courting death!"
Shujia gasped. She desperately wanted the little fat boy to be recognized by Kangxi right now, not this stupid method! What Soetu did was basically cheating her entire family!
"Family has another message for the Crown Princess: Don't worry. We also hope for your well-being, but the timing isn't right. When the time comes, we won't sit idly by. Please be patient, Crown Princess." As Xiluotai said this, she sighed. If she had known this would happen, she wouldn't have been so happy about her daughter becoming the Crown Princess. She was so worried.
Shujia was anxious. She had no idea about this! What a bummer! Yinreng hadn’t even told him! Yinreng, you idiot! “I never knew there was such a thing, and the prince didn’t tell me either.”
"At least try to persuade her. Even though I'm a woman, I know this isn't right."
"knew."
In this situation, if the Crown Princess can still act as if nothing happened to Dezhu, who has a good relationship with Soetu, then she has achieved success.
Soon after Dezhu left, Yinreng returned. After meeting Dezhu, he met with several others. Those close to Soetu praised Soetu's hard work, saying that everyone who worked for him was working hard, and that all of us were working hard, too. Yinreng believed them to a degree.
He couldn't believe that the people he had always relied on were actually these greed-blinded fools, and he wanted to verify it. He couldn't even think about Mingzhu's hostile side anymore, so he had to ask someone neutral instead. Yinreng also knew that given the current situation, even a relatively neutral person, less afraid of retaliation, would not speak frankly about Soetu's evil deeds if he asked. He had to find a neutral person instead.
He found Fuquan.
Fuquan had been summoned by Kangxi at short notice. He had already chosen an auspicious date for the enthronement of his sons, scheduled for the following year, but he was still uneasy about his sons moving out. He summoned Fuquan to ask for one more favor: "The princes are staying at their residences, and I'm afraid they might cause trouble. You've always been a quiet and quiet person, setting an example for the other princes. Talk to them more often." Fuquan's gentle nature made him a good influence for his sons.
Fuquan remained silent. It seemed Kangxi wasn't entirely confident in his sons. He bowed deeply, which Kangxi took as his acceptance. Fuquan was visibly troubled. His eldest son wasn't on good terms with him, and he wasn't on good terms with Soetu, the second son's son. No matter which of them came to power, he would likely be bullied.
After leaving the Palace of Heavenly Purity, Fuquan felt that the sky was gray. As soon as he walked out of the Gate of Heavenly Purity, he was intercepted by Yinreng himself. The whole scenery before him turned gray.
Unexpectedly, the prince continued to be polite to him: "How is Prince Bo?" Then he looked at Fuquan's face with concern and said, "Fuquan doesn't look well. Why don't you come to my place and rest for a while?"
It would be even worse if I rested at your place!
Without waiting for a refusal, Yinreng actually stepped forward and supported him.
Fuquan was caught in a dilemma, and not one to be particularly quick-witted. While he was distracted, he was abducted by the Crown Prince's nephew, acting as a kidnapper, and taken to Yuqing Palace. He watched in a daze as the Crown Prince ordered him to wash his face, brew ginseng tea, and summon the imperial physician. Fuquan muttered to himself, "This guy isn't the Crown Prince. This guy isn't the Crown Prince..." While the Crown Prince had been polite to him before, it hadn't been this bad. If it had been Kangxi, Fuquan would have accepted it. But if it had been the Crown Prince, he was horrified!
To put it nicely, it's like showing courtesy to someone is always for something. To put it bluntly, it's like showing unwarranted kindness is either a traitor or a thief. Fuquan's nerves were instantly on edge. Soetu's group had just asked him for an autograph, and he'd refused, only to receive several strange looks. Fortunately, he immediately filed a report with Kangxi; the news must have reached the Crown Prince by now. (I guessed wrong; before he could say anything, Soetu had been made ill by the Crown Prince.)
Yinreng saw Fuquan's guarded expression and couldn't help but smile bitterly. In the past, he probably wouldn't have noticed, but now that he thought about it, he didn't know how many such moments he had missed, and even thought he was proud of it. Then, he found that talking to Fuquan was a bit difficult.
Since this person was already on guard, it was not easy to get him to tell the truth. Yinreng also knew that he had been too close to Soetu in the past, and now asking others about Soetu's affairs would seem too unrealistic. The prince now knew that sometimes, people will not answer just because you want to know, even if you are the crown prince.
Asking questions also requires skill. From then on, the prince learned another skill: asking questions in a roundabout way.
He laid the trap calmly: "Is Prince Bo tired? Has anything been bothering you lately?"
"Everything is fine, it's just that it's the end of the year and there are more things to do."
"That's right. I've had a lot to do these past two days. I just sent the Fourth Princess away two days ago. Now I have to order the things my Eighth Brother needs for his marriage, and unfortunately, Soetu is out of commission again."
Hearing about Suo Etu, Fu Quan's radar went on full blast, his defenses maxed out. "He's a very busy man, so busy he's even sick from all the work." What should I do if the Crown Prince wants to submit a memorial? What if he wants me to submit a report? The Emperor hasn't spoken yet!
"He's busy with more than just government affairs."
“…” I can’t connect the connection. If I connect the connection, I will have to submit a memorial.
It is the most difficult to deal with honest people. If they don't want to talk, and they can't find a suitable excuse based on their temperament, they simply won't even give you a word, but will just shut up and fight with you.
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince chose another approach: showing weakness, explaining things to the people with reason, and appealing to their emotions.
"We were born into the royal family, born into wealth and no one dared to disobey us. From childhood to adulthood, few people dared to listen to honest advice, and most people flattered us. All I heard were words of praise, and I wanted to speak frankly but could not. The only people I could trust were relatives with the same surname. Prince Bo is my elder, and if even you didn't tell the truth, I would be so pitiful. I heard that the outside world is very uneasy right now, and I am very worried. This is not my intention." He smiled bitterly, "Nephew, I have recently realized that I was arrogant before, always thinking that he would listen to whatever I said. Now it seems... nephew is powerless."
"Uh, Prince, what are you doing..." Oh no, why is he losing his temper?
"Hongdan is still young, and his future is uncertain. Suo'etu is colluding with the upper and lower classes, and I cannot stop this, despite my own wish. My nephew is also worried that after all these years, I have never treated him badly, and now he doesn't even listen to me. He is also intimidating the court officials, and his behavior is close to rebellion. He cannot be tolerated. Lord Bo, please tell me the truth. I don't know who else to ask except you."
Fuquan was an honest man, caught in a dilemma. In his view, the current crown prince was still a good boy, and he couldn't bear not to tell him. At the same time, he was also very dissatisfied with Soetu. His only worry in recent years was offending Soetu, what Soetu would say to the crown prince, and then the crown prince would make things difficult for him in the future. He was not afraid, but he was afraid that his descendants would bear a grudge against him after his death, which would be difficult to deal with - it was time to show his ability.
However, Suo Etu had always had a good relationship with the Crown Prince, and he himself had never been very close to the Crown Prince. A distance did not alienate a close relationship (?) He endured it for a while, but his honest nature kicked in. Remembering the lesson of the Yinzhi incident, he did not complain directly, but said vaguely: "You know everything."
Yinreng glared: "Is it true?"
Fuquan stopped talking and just nodded.
Yinreng was deflated: "Thank you, Prince. I trusted the wrong person before."
Fuquan was quite relieved. At least Soetu's influence would not be so profound. His future life and his descendants would be safe. After thinking about it, he couldn't help but say one more thing: "I consulted the emperor about that matter, but he didn't say anything."
Yinreng nodded solemnly and bowed deeply. Fuquan hurriedly supported him and said, "You can't do that."
"As I should. It was my fault in the past. I may have been unintentionally rude to the prince. I hope the prince will bear with me."
Honest people have a characteristic: they can't stand being treated well. If you treat them well, they will certainly return the favor. So Fuquan reported the matter to Kangxi the next day very conscientiously and responsibly, omitting his final reminder and exaggerating the crown prince's awareness of the seriousness of the incident and his helplessness in being unable to control Soetu.
Many people always believe what honest people say, and Kangxi believed it.
This is a later story. Now let’s talk about the Crown Princess.
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Shujia was almost going crazy. She absolutely had no objection to the enthronement of the crown prince, but she didn't expect someone to use such a stupid method.
Now, she faced what she considered an almost impossible task: getting Yinreng to halt the situation and express his clear opposition. Regardless of whether Yinreng had previously supported the ban on palace maids and eunuchs from spreading the term "Grand Prince," if presented with a great opportunity, he wouldn't necessarily oppose it. Even before hearing about the folly of the perpetrators, she had been tempted. She had previously worried only about Kangxi's opinion; if he agreed, she would wholeheartedly support him.
This matter is really too tempting.
Can you withstand it?
No problem at all! In fact, the prince is the one who is most determined to resist!
When Shujia mentioned cautiously that her mother had come today and brought some news, Yinreng's radar went off: "What news?"
"There's a rumor out there that someone wants to get a proper status for our son..."
Yinreng's expression immediately grew serious. "Tell me exactly what you said, word for word. Don't miss a single word."
Shujia first noticed that when Yinreng became serious, he gave people a very oppressive feeling. She repeated the original words, and seeing that Yinreng did not change his face, she said, "Don't be too impatient." Seeing that Yinreng did not change his face, she was afraid that he would harbor resentment, so she quickly said the second half of the sentence, "I am afraid that someone will use this to cause trouble."
Yinreng was not angry, but decided that he wanted to meet the old charlatan of the Shi family.
Shujia did not sleep well that night. When she came back from Ningshou Palace the next day, she heard that Yinreng was meeting her father and grandfather, and her face turned pale.
In fact, this meeting was quite good. The old fox launched the second move in his combination punch.
Hua Shan had been waiting for Suo Etu to make another mistake, one that offended the imperial power. Now he had the chance to act. "I'm going to say something that will cost me my life. In this matter of the Crown Prince, how much more can Suo Etu get than me? Why don't I do it? Some things, knowing is one thing, knowing that you can't do them is another. Only those who uphold their loyalty as subjects are truly wise. Some things cannot be touched. Just stay put."
Shi Wenbing felt like dying. He had already vaguely grasped these principles, though not with such clarity. The feudal bureaucracy had developed over two thousand years, and by this point, anyone with enough experience in the court and a less-than-absolutely superstitious faith in Confucianism would have grasped a few things. While it might not have been clear, some people had already grasped the idea: the emperor couldn't be made aware of your clique-building schemes and your ambitions for the throne.
Yinreng put his sweaty father-in-law aside and asked Huashan earnestly: "Please continue."
Hua Shan coughed and said, "To intimidate court officials is to disrupt the government. If you offend someone, who wants to have their life threatened? This is a thorn. Some people will be frightened into obedience, but if someone is really angered, the consequences will be known to the Crown Prince without me having to tell you. Those who are favored by Soetu are all very capable."
Yinreng sighed and said, "I've learned my lesson."
Shi Wenbing finally couldn't help it: "My Lord Crown Prince, it is better to be still than to move. If you strictly abide by the loyalty of a subject and don't violate the filial piety, then there is no place you can't go. A gentleman is open and honest, and the emperor is wise. When a country is governed by the right way, it is wise to speak and act cautiously. Thunder, lightning, rain and dew are all the emperor's grace. A minister should serve the emperor with loyalty, and the emperor should treat his ministers with sincerity. You understand this principle better than I do." If his father continued to talk, the emperor would come over and kill their entire family.
Why did this sound so familiar? After they left, Yinreng realized: it clearly had the flavor of Kangxi! This reminded him that the Shi family's daughter was chosen to be the Crown Princess for a reason: Khan Ama liked this tone.
Everything he said was full of profound truths, yet he taught you to find no reason to disagree. Hey, isn't this the legendary conspiracy?! Suddenly, His Royal Highness had an epiphany: he'd gotten it!
——————————————————————————————————————————
Zhang Ying was a little surprised. Why did the prince suddenly come to him? He really didn't understand. It was the New Year and the palace was busy.
He had been Yinreng's teacher. Of course, he was more fortunate than Tang Bin, who was unlucky enough to be persecuted. As a scholar favored by Emperor Kangxi and a high-ranking official at court, he accompanied the emperor on tours and drafted imperial edicts. He was one of the few people closest to the center of power.
Of course, according to Kangxi's understanding, there were some people he and his son had to share. Zhang Ying also worked part-time in the Zhanshi Mansion. To be more precise, he was currently in charge of Yinreng's Zhanshi Mansion. However, his main job was the Minister of Rites, so he did not usually work in the Zhanshi Mansion, but only held a temporary position.
Now that the prince wants to see him, he has legitimate reason to bring him here.
The prince was very polite to his former teacher, accepting the gift and returning a half-gift. He began with a small greeting: "Master, are you well?" Earlier this year, Zhang Ying had requested retirement due to old age and illness, hence Yinreng's question.
Zhang Ying nodded slightly. "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I am much better now. I still miss my farm."
"Master, you can't leave yet. Khan Ama needs you right now, and I also need your help with something."
"?"
"Find someone from the Zhanshi Mansion to impeach them." A list was thrown over by Yinreng lightly.
When Zhang Ying received the list, his heart sank as if the Leifeng Pagoda were weighing down his chest. The Suo Clan members were making a scene outside, so why was the Crown Prince joining in the fray? Was this the legendary "getting a good show"?
When he opened it, even though he was mature and steady, he almost dropped his glasses in shock. All the people on the list were Soetu's men!
Yes, the Crown Prince was forcing Suo Etu to make a statement, and also making his own stance clear. Of course, the Crown Prince also hinted at the fact that those who had committed crimes were being rudely discussing state affairs. At the same time, the charges he had previously been convicted of were brought up again: corruption, bribery, favoritism...
"This..." Zhang Yingwen was incoherent. He couldn't imagine that the prince actually cut off his own arm.
Zhang Ying's metaphor is quite apt, but another word could also describe it: a heroic act of self-sacrifice. The prince, wanting to squeeze out the pus, still spoke with a high-sounding tone: "Love often leads to harm. I always thought Soetu was a good person, so I let him be. Unexpectedly, he surrounded himself with villains, and since he's old, he allowed these villains to stir up trouble and ruin his reputation. He's worked hard all his life, and I can't let him lose his integrity in his later years. I'll get rid of these villains for him."
Zhang Ying was stunned for a full five minutes before he said, "In this way...it will be difficult for Prime Minister Suo to do his job." He had no choice but to step down, otherwise he would not have much energy to take care of things.
Yinreng was very calm: "I'll take care of his business. You take care of this. I don't want to see these people anymore."
Zhang Ying inherited a difficult position. Unlike the others, he was nominally a joint official between Kangxi and Yinreng. Yinreng gave him orders without asking for permission; he was obliged to carry them out. If Yinreng didn't see results the next day, he could wait. But by the third day, no explanation would be of any use.
He wanted to claim illness, but that would have been too obvious, so he bit the bullet and arranged for a chancellor to submit a petition of impeachment. This person was none other than Wang Xun's son, Wang Yiqing. He came from a family of upright character and had always held a grudge against Soetu's faction. Unfortunately, their family upbringing demanded strict adherence to orthodoxy, and because of the Crown Prince's presence, they had no choice but to endure it.
Wang Yiqing received the order, rolled up his sleeves, and rushed forward. Having received insider information that the crown prince had burned the manuscript, and relieved by the fact that his father had readily signed it, he wrote a brilliant article without any worries. He made the Suo Party members sound as if they had been possessed by a demonic spirit, leaving Mingzhu's followers stunned.
Kangxi was overjoyed when he read this report. After careful consideration, he decided to protect the crown prince from any consequences. He executed, imprisoned, and even exiled several of these individuals—without any proper judicial process, without interrogation or imprisonment. He simply executed them without a clear conscience.
Kangxi sighed in his heart that the prince was too kind and weak, and actually left some leeway for Soetu.
————————————————————————————————
What room is left?
Yinreng personally visited Suo'etu once, completely ignoring that he was ill. He told Suo'etu seriously: "It's okay if you can't rest, but I will get rid of those villains for you. Don't listen to them and do stupid things in the future." Then he told Suo'etu about the evil deeds of these people.
In a marriage, when a husband cheats, the wife is always the last to know. In a bad thing, the last to know is always the person involved. Although Suo Etu had become quite domineering, he hadn't expected that his allies were even less reliable than he was.
Would it be any use confessing now? Soetu's mouth tasted bitter, as if he hadn't swallowed the medicine he'd taken that morning. The prince hadn't threatened to retire, but could a tiger with its teeth removed still eat meat?
What dealt Suo Etu an even greater blow was that during the New Year, among the gifts given to him by Yuqing Palace, in addition to the gifts he had received in previous years, there was also a walking stick "made by the Ministry of Internal Affairs on the orders of the Crown Prince."
After a gloomy New Year, Suo Etu endured until the first month of the lunar year, staring blankly at his cane for three days. The servants outside the study finally heard a cry: "Prince...Prince, Prince...Good Prince!"
Finally, on the first day of printing, he submitted a petition requesting to be relieved of his post.
Kangxi tried to persuade him to stay, but Soetu read between the lines of the decree, "I hope you'll get out of here." His heart sank, and the pen in his hand felt like it weighed a thousand pounds. He wrote a second letter of resignation, claiming that he had been ill for the past month and had no job, and that it made no difference whether he was there or not.
Kangxi refused again.
In his third resignation letter, Suo Etu wisely reflected on his mistake of "making friends with bad people". He believed that he was in such an important position as the Minister of the Imperial Guard, but he could not judge people well. He was afraid that he would pose a threat to the emperor, so he resolutely requested retirement.
Kangxi was not sincere in the first place, but he agreed to it and gave Suo Etu a generous pension.
Soetu passed away, leaving Yinreng with a weathered figure. Yinreng had no time to look at Soetu's afterlife. He had already anticipated his father's death. His father, the Khan, wanted to do everything in a way that was impeccable. He believed that Soetu should be given a comfortable environment without any restlessness. This was exactly what Yinreng wanted.
In other words, what the prince should be concerned about now is not Soetu. This trouble has been solved. What he should worry about is what to do next.
He soon discovered that the trouble had just begun.
The author has something to say:
Prime Minister Suo bowed as he stepped down. Regarding some students' concerns about Suo San's intelligence, I can only say that he was truly trying to intimidate people, and Kangxi even knew about it. He truly had some strange ideas. Asking for a title of Crown Prince—it's perfectly normal. And, to clarify, the request for a Crown Prince wasn't for the Shi family's sake, but to prevent the soon-to-be crowned king from having too much leverage, so they could put pressure on the other side first.
The Minister of the Imperial Guards, Heshuo Ekuli, and others, delivered the imperial edict: "It seems that Soetu has no intention of repenting. He has been complaining behind the scenes and discussing state affairs. I have inquired about his allies. Amida, Maltu, Ekuli, Wendai, Shaogan, Tongbaoyi, and others have formed a clique to discuss state affairs and intimidate the people. Moreover, Soetu's power and intimidation have made the entire nation fear him, and even some are not. Now that Soetu's family has denounced them, can Soetu really kill them? As for Wendai and Ekuli, both of whom were exiled for serious crimes, they were ordered back to the capital because of their old age. They should have spent their remaining years in peace, but instead they have formed a clique with Soetu to discuss state affairs and engage in pretentious complaints. Their allies are all good at speaking... If the time comes for Soetu to be executed, it is uncertain whether he will kill or be killed. Even if he claims to have killed someone, who will be killed?
In the past, Suo Etu helped Yi (the Crown Prince) to secretly plot great things. I knew everything and executed Suo Etu.
I shook my head and sighed. I met Kangxi...
PS: Tomorrow is my colleague's birthday, and we're having a dinner. If you come back early, I'll update. If you come back late, I'll...
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